Edamame and Ginger Tsukune

edamame and ginger tsukune

What you need Yields 18-20 meatballs 2 tbsp sake Preparation 30 minutes 200g chicken mince 1 tbsp mirin Cooking 30 minutes 100g firm tofu 1 tbsp sugar 3 stalks spring onion/scallion 2 tbsp soy sauce 12 pods edamame (about 30 peas), 2 tbsp water plus extra for garnish 1 tsp grated ginger (optional) 1 small egg 1/2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp corn starch, dissolved A pinch salt and white pepper in 1 tsp water 1 tsp grated ginger 2 inches grated daikon (white radish) to serve

What to do 1. Put a large pot of water on the boil. Boil or microwave the edamame. Grate 2 tsp of ginger, putting aside half for the sauce. Chop the spring onion finely. In a bowl mix together chicken mince, tofu, chopped scallion, egg, sesame oil and salt and white pepper. Mix well until the tofu has all broken down and the mixture holds together well. 2. Remove the peas from the pods and add them to the chicken mixture. Form small meatballs with the mixture and place them on a plate, ensuring that the edamame are well embedded in the mixture. 3. Boil the meatballs in the boiling water for a few minutes. Fish them out onto a plate when they rise to the surface. 4. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the tsukune on low to medium heat, rolling them so that they have even caramelization all over. In the meantime, mix together the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce, and prepare the corn starch mixture. Do not mix the two. 5. When the tsukune are nicely browned, add the teriyaki sauce mixture. Cook the sauce for a few minutes to ensure the alcohol is cooked out, and the sugar has melted. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little bit of water. Add the corn starch mixture little by little, so that it coats the meatballs nicely. Serve with hot rice and grated daikon (daikon-oroshi). Enjoy!

Notes Any chicken mince will work, but breast mince would be healthiest. The boiling ensures that the tsukune have a nice round shape, and I think it also helps to get the right fluffy texture. Make sure the meatballs are well caramelized, as the spring onion bits are great when they are a little burnt. Skip the ginger in the sauce if you're not a big fan of ginger.